Conservation
Ministerial decision 87/KEPMEN-KP/2016 designates the coastal and small-island conservation area of the Derawan archipelago and surrounding waters in Berau, East Kalimantan. This guide does not reclassify it as a national park. Exact zonation and permitted uses must be checked against the official legal documents and current management instructions.
Ecosystems
UNESCO’s landscape description distinguishes fringing reefs, patch reefs and atoll settings influenced by the Berau delta and surrounding sea. This supports a reef-habitat relationship, not the presence of every coral species at every island. The UNESCO entry is a Tentative List submission from 2005, not an inscription as World Heritage.
Rules
Arrange reef visits with operators who can explain the specific site and conditions. Keep fins, anchors and hands away from living coral; avoid chasing turtles or other animals. An attractive photograph from one island is not proof that the same conditions exist across the entire conservation area. No unverified total area is supplied here.
Gateway and overnight base
Use Derawan Island for island-specific accommodation and arrival planning. Berau's Kalimarau Airport and Tanjung Redeb form a mainland approach; confirm the departure pier and boat with the accommodation. Different island transfers are not interchangeable. Derawan Dive Lodge is an existing island accommodation record, not a lodge that serves every part of the conservation area.
A visit to one reef can fit a day excursion from an island base; exploring several sites requires a separate itinerary with weather flexibility. This is a planning distinction, not a promise that any crossing will operate. Ask which sites suit your swimming or diving experience, how sea conditions affect the return, and which fees or permissions apply to that route. No archipelago-wide permit or safe-sea season is inferred here.
Reading the landscape
The coral reef relationship explains the protected landscape; reef visits explains the activity. Keep those roles separate. The green turtle is associated with the archipelago, but nesting beaches are conservation sites, not an invitation to seek out nests. Follow local restrictions and avoid publishing precise nesting positions.
